Laura Figley

Defense Date

7-25-2007

Graduation Date

Summer 2007

Availability

Immediate Access

Submission Type

thesis

Degree Name

MSSLP

Department

Speech-Language Pathology (SLP)

School

Rangos School of Health Sciences

Committee Chair

Kathryn L. Garrett

Committee Member

Davida Fromm

Committee Member

Yang Chen

Keywords

AAC, aphasia, qualitative analysis

Abstract

A multiple single-subject randomized design experimental study measured the perceptions of three persons with aphasia and their communication partners without aphasia when communicating across three conditions: Condition A--speech generating device (SGD) with No Display; Condition B--SGD with visual scene display (VSD); and Condition C--SGD with traditional grid display (TGD). Quantitative data were collected in the forms of preference choice of display type, a forced-choice ranking of experimental sessions, and 7-pt Likert rating scales. All participants rated the dependent variables of communicative success, ease, independence, and naturalness across conditions. Qualitative data were collected in the form of open-ended interviews conducted at the end of each experimental session and at the close of the study. Each participant dyad completed six experimental sessions consisting of a conversational interaction in which the person with aphasia shared a personally relevant story. Quantitative analyses revealed that 2 of 3 persons with aphasia preferred Condition B (VSD) over the other experimental conditions. All three persons with aphasia chose sessions using VSD as their "best" or top-ranked sessions in the forced-choice ranking task. Qualitative analysis revealed that peer communication partners and participants with aphasia had both favorable perceptions and criticism of the VSD.

Format

PDF

Language

English

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